McDonnell thrilled for old friend Kelly

DURHAM — University of New Hampshire football coach Sean McDonnell is a New York Giants fan. But on Wednesday he was bleeding green for the Philadelphia Eagles.

That’s because former UNH assistant and McDonnell’s close friend, Chip Kelly, was named the franchise’s head coach after four years with the same job at the University of Oregon.

“A great opportunity for a guy who deserves it,” McDonnell said. “It’s fantastic. He did a great job at our level and he’s always wanted a challenge in his life. This is the ultimate challenge. He’s got a great opportunity with the Eagles.”

Kelly is the first person associated with the UNH football program to become a head coach in the NFL. A Manchester native, Kelly left UNH to become the offensive coordinator at Oregon following the 2006 season. He became the Ducks’ head coach in 2009 and led Oregon to the Rose Bowl in his first season. Kelly also played for the Wildcats under Bill Bowes from 1981-1984.

Mike Zamarchi, who is the boys basketball coach at Marshwood High School in South Berwick, Maine, is close friends with Kelly. Zamarchi said he has no doubt Kelly will be successful in the NFL.

“He’s a football guru,” Zamarchi said. “It’s not just college football. I know he wanted the challenge to coach in the NFL and he wanted to come back to the East Coast.”

Zamarchi called Kelly’s ascention from offensive coordinator at UNH to an NFL head coach is “like a storybook.”

“It’s pretty amazing,” Zamarchi said. “That shows you what kind of a person he is, what kind of a leader he is.”

Current St. Thomas Aquinas High School head coach Eric Cumba is a former Wildcat captain and was recruited by Kelly. Cumba, who hails from New Jersey, is also a Giants fan.

“I’m not surprised, but at the same time I am,” Cumba said. “Obviously I’m very happy for him. Unfortunately I’m a Giants fan.”

In the days following the Ducks’ Fiesta Bowl victory over Kansas State on Jan. 3, Kelly initially turned down an offer to coach the Eagles as well as the Cleveland Browns and said he planned to stay at Oregon, only to change course and sign with Philadelphia.

“It means he took the time to make the right decision,” Cumba said. “I know Chip and he’s very compassionate. I can only imagine the emotions in that meeting at Oregon when he told his players. I know he wants what’s best for those kids and that university, and he put his heart and soul into it.”

In Kelly’s second year at Oregon, the Ducks lost to Auburn in the BCS National Championship game. He followed that with a Rose Bowl victory in his third year and a 35-17 Fiesta Bowl victory against Kansas State on Jan. 3 in his final game with the Ducks.

During his final season at UNH, Kelly’s offense ranked second nationally in scoring offense with 35.3 points per game and 15th in the country in passing offense with 245.4 yards per game. Quarterback Ricky Santos won the Walter Payton Award as the most outstanding player in FCS football, and senior wide receiver David Ball became FCS football’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions by surpassing Jerry Rice’s mark of 50 TD catches in a win against Richmond.

So while McDonnell will continue to root for the Giants, he’ll be pulling for Kelly’s Eagles when the two teams meet on the field.

“It’s going to be tough,” McDonnell said with a laugh. “I’ve always appreciated the Eagles, but I’ve been a big Giants fan forever. That’s going to change a little bit because I’m so close to Chip.”

Zamarchi’s a Patriots fan, but said he’ll have no trouble rooting for the Eagles.

“Unless they meet in the Super Bowl,” Zamarchi said. “Then we’ll have to see.”